Anthony Burgess Quotes about Art

Art is rare and sacred and hard work, and there ought to be a wall of fire around it.

Art is rare and sacred and hard work, and there ought to be a wall of fire around it.

Art, Wall, Hard Work

Anthony Burgess (1986). “But Do Blondes Prefer Gentlemen?: Homage to Qwert Yuiop, and Other Writings”, New York : McGraw-Hill

Every grain of experience is food for the greedy growing soul of the artist.

Anthony Burgess

Art, Soul, Growing

Anthony Burgess (1982). “Here comes everybody: an introduction to James Joyce for the ordinary reader”, Hamlyn

All art preserves mysteries which aesthetic philosophers tackle in vain.

Anthony Burgess

Art, Philosopher, Mystery

"A Mouthful of Air: Language and Languages, Especially English". Book by Anthony Burgess, October 1992.

The purpose of education is to fit us for life in a civilised community, and it seems to follow from the subjects we study that the two most important things in civilised life are Art and Science.

Anthony Burgess

Education, Art, Two

"English Literature: A Survey for Students". Book by Anthony Burgess, 1958.

A Haydn symphony had a meaning for the social group that listened to it. A Mahler symphony had a meaning for the man who composed it. Here is the difference between the classical and romantic attitudes to art.

Anthony Burgess

Art, Attitude, Men

If you want to be considered a poet, you will have to show mastery of the petrarchan sonnet form or the sestina. Your musical efforts must begin with well-formed fugues. There is no substitute for craft... Art begins with craft, and there is no art until craft has been mastered.

Anthony Burgess

Art, Effort, Musical

Anthony Burgess (1986). “But Do Blondes Prefer Gentlemen?: Homage to Qwert Yuiop, and Other Writings”, New York : McGraw-Hill

What critics often ask for is the impossible, though this may be a salutary means of extending the borders of art.

Anthony Burgess

Art, Mean, Borders

Anthony Burgess (1990). “You've had your time: being the second part of the confessions of Anthony Burgess”, Heinemann Educational Books

I think art is sublimated libido. You can’t be a eunuch priest, and you can’t be a eunuch artist.

Anthony Burgess

Art, Thinking, Priests

Anthony Burgess, Earl G. Ingersoll, Mary C. Ingersoll (2008). “Conversations with Anthony Burgess”, p.59, Univ. Press of Mississippi

Well, well, well, well. If it isn't fat, stinking billygoat Billy-Boy in poison. How art thou, thou globby bottle of cheap, stinking chip-oil? Come and get one in the yarbles, if you have any yarbles, you eunuch jelly thou.

Anthony Burgess

Art, Boys, Oil

"A Clockwork Orange". Book by Anthony Burgess, 1962.

The 21st chapter gives the novel the quality of genuine fiction, an art founded on the principle that human beings change. ----- "A Clockwork Orange Resucked" intro to first full American version 1986

Anthony Burgess

Art, Orange, Giving

This is great art, we've been told this by the great pundits of our age. And in consequence why should we bother to learn? There's nothing more delightful than to be told, 'You don't have to learn, my boy. There's nothing in it. Modern art? There's nothing in it.

Anthony Burgess

Art, Boys, Age

Televised BBC interview, 1968.